Undercarpet wiring systems are in present use for commercial buildings, offices, and the like and are available from the Assignee of the subject application, Thomas & Betts Corporation as sold under the trademark VERSA-TRAK. Such undercarpet wiring systems provide power, data and telephone service to various work stations and/or locations in a particular area. Cable is laid directly on the floor of the building, is covered by carpet squares for ease of access thereto and appropriate outlets and receptacles are suitably provided for connection to the system.
While various tapping or splicing arrangements have been developed for the undercarpet power service, such electrical connections for data and telephone cable are not yet in wide use. With the advent of increased use of both telephone and data service in commercial environments, the need for tapping and splicing interconnections has also increased. Further, there is need for repair of data and telephone cable already in commercial use and for extending a main run of such cable for additional applications and users.
One known device in present use which is adaptable for telephone and data cable comprising two, three or four pair of conductors is a device which utilizes insulation displacement contacts for splicing an additional run of cable to a main cable run. Such device utilizes a base that supports the insulation displacement contacts and which fits into an opening in the undersurface of a cover. The cover has tapering ends which are provided in an attempt to minimize the profile of this device in use underneath a carpet. One problem with this device is that it is relatively thick and despite the tapering ends, a relative high profile is presented in use. Another limitation of this known device is that it is only capable of splicing, i.e., extending the run of cable rather than tapping angularly off such main run of cable.